Support Group

Hello friends and family,

I just found out about a support group that has just began meeting at Olympic Alzheimer's Residence (OAR) in Gig Harbor, which I plan to attend. It is for caregivers of friends and family experiencing memory loss, Alzheimer's, and dementia support group.

The meeting time is 7pm the 2nd Wed. of the month in the Chapel @ OAR in Gig Harbor. 3025 145th Ave. NW GH, WA 98335 for more information call 253 851 5306 OAR is very easy to get to. If you have any questions please call.

In His Grace,
Snickers

Alzheimer Awareness

It was a good day today. It was the Lord's Day. Wonderful Spirit in the worship services at the house of God. At 6:30 PM this evening, Ladybug and I went over the bridge to OAR and visited with Mom. We went down to the chapel there and had a nice time singing together around the grand piano. Kathy, one of the workers there came in and there was a time set aside for remembering victims of Alzheimer's Disease. They had paper bags and little artificial candles to put in them for Alzheimer's Awareness. We put candles in bags for Aunt Rosa, Uncle Buck and Brother Don Knight who all died from Alzheimer's Disease. The lights were dimmed and we spent a moment in silence and Kathy asked me if I would lead in a word of prayer. Then Kathy read "The Alzheimer's Prayer" and we adjourned for cookies and coffee. It was very nice. When we took Mom back to her room she seemed a little anxious about getting into her Jammies for the night and we assured her that we would be back soon and that we were looking forward to her coming to our house in a couple of weeks for a big family get together at Thanksgiving. She seemed to do better after that.

Opting out of Group Health

Below is a copy of the information I needed to send to the GHC to opt mom out of the care program. I will mail this off by registered mail on Monday, which will give you time to get back to me if there are any concerns. With Medicare/Medicaid she will receive in house care with Anne Horsley ARNP= nurse practitioner, who is under the umbrella of a doctor. I do not have his or her name yet. The office is in Lakewood on 108th street Home Doc . 253-589-6573. In making this change also her medications would be the pharmacy they use making her meds more quickly available. OH, yes I did meet Anne, who seems to be a nice gal, and with a ARNP on the end of her name, that says something. She will see mom on a regular basis every 5 weeks coming into Olympic Alzheimer's Residence to check mom along with her other patients who live there. Anne will be the go to gal if mom becomes ill or any needs of concern.

Page on down to see the letter. I just want us all to be on the same page with this change. Why pay out when it's being picked up by Medicare/Medicaid.

Yes, one thing too. Elvis because you have the POA and I only have the POA/health. I understand you will need to call the Soc/Sec office to make sure they stop the payment. They may want a written request too. I just don't know. Please check that out.

His Grace,
Snickers.......page down :)
Dear membership department,

(Mom's name) is my mother and I have her POA over health issues. See attached copy. In recent months my mother has moved into the Olympic Alzheimer's Residence in Gig Harbor, Washington. With this move her finances have been cut so much with spending that she needed to go onto Medicaid Care/ Medicare. She is now in a position to need to opt out of her GHC Clear Care Essential HMO plan, plus optional dental benefits.
I was told from the GHC information line 1-888-901-4636 that I needed to write a letter to your membership department about my mother's need to opt out and include my POA/health paper. I understand that on September 2, 2011 my mother will no longer be able to seek help at any of the GHC places of service.

Thank you Sincerely,
Signature

Crabby Old Man

What do you sees nurse? . . . . . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man .. . . . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice .. . . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am. . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . with wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . .. . . . that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . .. . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . .. . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . .. to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, . . . . . babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . . my wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years .. . . . . and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . . a young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . . Look closer . .. . see ME!!

Beauty Parlor

When I called Mom today at the usual time she was waiting in the beauty parlor to get her hair done. Tuesday is Beauty Parlor Day for Mom at OAR. It always seems to perk her up and she feels better after getting her hair done. Mom was a licenced cosmetologist in the sixties and had her own shop until her back gave out on her and she had to have surgery. After that she worked in the wig department in a major department store.

I received the info from DSHS on Mom's Medicaid benefits and got the bill at OAR all straightened out through July. Snickers and Popcorn were out of State for a week and Mom became a little anxious during that time and made several calls to me for reassurance. I was there with her last Tuesday and had lunch with her. Every thing went well. When Snickers got home from the trip she picked up Mom for a visit at their house and Mom once again became very confused when it was time to settle in again back at OAR and also made several calls from her cell phone to Snickers for reassurance.

Ladybug went up to Everette to spend the day with her Mother who is also in a rest home. She is 90 years old and failing. Her weight is down to 89 Lbs. and she is on morphine for pain from her osteoporosis.

the money stuff

We are still dealing with the medicaid lack of payments needed for Mom's stay at OAR. The social worker gave us all the paper work needed to get the ball rolling on this and it showed that Mom was qualified "medically" speaking for rent assistance at OAR. There are two figures that Medicaid will pay. One is $52.72 per day for Med. B and the other is $94.71 for Dementia Care. Mom registered at OAR as a Private Pay resident originally but we knew that her funds would run out within the first month or two and filed for Medicaid at the time she moved in. We were told that the Medicaid payments would kick in retroactively when the paper work goes through. So, we have been paying the Private Pay bill at OAR each month based on the figures given above for Medicaid assistance and subtracting them from the monthly bill . Mom's fund are indeed depleted. We received a bill from OAR stating that Mom still owed them $9060.90. Our figure showed that she was all paid up on her part and the medicaid funds would make the balance zero.

At a meeting with OAR this week we learned that the figures given above are not a sum total of daily benefits but an "either or" kind of thing and that Mom is "medically"qualified for the $94.71 per day benefit but so far DSHS has not shown her qualified "financially" for the benefits. While in this meeting, I called DSHS. The Social Worker is out on medical leave and I talked to Bruce, the Social Worker's supervisor who verified that a case worker was working on the "financial" qualifications right then and when finished, we would be notified what Mom's co-pay would be and the benefits would be payed retroactively to the first of June. Upon hearing this, the folks at OAR said that they would go back into Mom's account and rework it with the understanding that she will not be a Private Pay resident effective the first of June but a Public Assistance residence and that makes the rates different. So, we wait. Pray for us.

Weekend OAR nurse

We all got a call from OAR Sunday morning. Here is a note from Baileywick about it.

===
Hi Elvis and Snickers,

Just got a call from OAR. They tried calling both of you but no one home. Nurse was concerned about red blotches on mom's chest. Mom was able to relate that she had been to the doctors. I explained to the nurse, who only works every other weekend, regarding mom's episode and hospital admission. I stated that the blotches were probably do to EKG patches and she might be having a slight allergic reaction to the adhesive. Suggested they use Neosporin on sights. They are going to use Triple Antibiotic Ointment. Wanted to fill you in on what was going on. If you have any other questions just give me a call.

Talk to you later,
Baileywick